Image and Text Blog, Rhetoric R1B, UC Berkeley

Sunday, October 19, 2014

This
photograph taken by Vivian Maier showcases the fact that space is always
existent, even in the most obscure forms. In this image, the main subject or
focus is definitely not the space of the background but the wires and coils attached
to the horizontal blocks of wood. Yet, the presence of nothingness in the
picture is unavoidable as it can be seen through the gaps and space between the
wires, coils, and blocks of wood. The significance of space is inevitable as it
aids in defining the main objects of the picture.

What
roles do space and nothingness play in respect to the other objects or subjects
in a photograph? Without space, presence could not be defined, and without the
presence of physical objects and subjects, there would be no space. Each of
these ideas is used to define one other, because when one does not exist within
an image, the other does. It is a relationship of balance, or give and take, in
which one cannot exist without the other, but they cannot be simultaneously present
at the same point of a picture.

It
can be said that objects define space or that the opposite is true. Sometimes,
the main focus of an image is the space while for others conversely, the
subject is a physical object. The distinction is based upon the intention of
the photographer as well as the interpretation of the viewer.

Maier, Vivian. “Canada.”
Street 2. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.

<http://www.vivianmaier.com/gallery/street-2/#slide-15>.

This
image of Vivian Maier’s depicts a pile of empty wooden crates, some stacked on
top of one another, like on the left edge of the picture, while others form a
downward slope, as if they had fallen down. It appears that many of the boxes
are vacant, based on the black, square, rectangular, and diamond shapes that
are created within the image, so it can be assumed that the rest are unfilled
as well, since they do not seem to serve a purpose. The picture promotes an
interesting concept of the idea that blank, or empty, spaces can actually
construct shape(s).

The crates are filled with nothing, yet the pile of boxes has a towering
form. How is it possible that the stacking of nothingness atop one another can create
a something?

This is due to the way that a space is formed, contributing to its
creation of shape. In this image, nothing is finite and ends with the walls of
the boxes. It is the edges of the square forms that define the nothingness in
the entirety of the picture. This definition distinguishes the existent from
the nonexistent and describes the shape that is built from the objects but eaten
away by the emptiness.

If one viewed this image with all the blank spaces cut out, would they
be looking at the same picture? What significance does emptiness have in its
role of defining the shape of an image or the cohesive object created by
smaller parts?

The spaces formed by the objects of an image inform the viewer of the
presence of emptiness. Without that nothingness, whether something existed or
not would be unknown.

In
this picture by Vivian Maier, a chair that does not seem to have finished
burning sits on a sidewalk near the road, facing a garbage can. The chair is
evidently falling apart, as some of its fabric, as well as other pieces, lay
around it on the ground. This image captures the object in a moment during
which its main action is deterioration. The smoke rising from the top of the
chair confirms the burning theory as well as its incompletion. It seems as
though space is in the process of being created due to the effects and power of
fire. How can nothingness be observed within and/or predicted of an object
based on its circumstances?

There
are two factors that indicate the creation of space: one is the act of burning that
the chair is subject to and the other is the placement of the chair, the fact
being that it is looking directly at a trash can. A fire can destroy many
things, including the wood and fabric of a chair. Because of this and the
continual burning of the chair, it is anticipated that the chair will soon turn
into nothingness and become more space in space. Moreover, garbage cans are
typically for items that people consider worthless, which is why those things
are removed in order to alleviate the trash can from holding objects of no
value, therefore creating emptiness. Space can be indefinite and its creation
predicted due to the almost infinite methods of obtaining it. Space can be
created by moving, tearing, scratching, et cetera, and it is due to this
multiplicity that space is full of complexity.

Maier, Vivian. “Undated.” Street 3. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.

<http://www.vivianmaier.com/gallery/street-3/#slide-9>.

Vivian
Maier’s image above clearly demonstrates the idea that nothingness, or space,
can shape and/or define what it is that the viewer sees. In this particular
picture, a metal structure resembling a type of tall, guarding fence is missing
pieces of the mesh fabric that is connecting its metal bars. Due to this, large
holes in between the poles are created, causing the viewer to see more of the
sky in the background. How does the presence of space dictate what is seen as
the subject(s) or object(s) of an image?

The
contrast of the light sky to the darker mesh fabric is evidently intentional,
as Maier, as the photographer, had the choice to take a photograph of one or
the other but decided to incorporate them both in the same picture for
comparative reasons. If Maier had wanted the image to be about the metal
structure, she would have taken a picture of the sections of still-existing
mesh fabric connected to the metal bars on either side; however, she chose to
incorporate the spaces in between. On the other hand, if the photograph was
meant to be about the sky, then why have a large metal fence-like structure
obscuring the view?

This
way, when a viewer examines the image, the focus can be divided between the
points of object and nothingness. It seems to send the message that space is
just as vital as presence in terms of defining the intention of a photo. That
being said, this specific picture is also affected by the perspective of the
photographer and how the sky lies behind the “fence.” The cutout spaces make it
seem as if Maier wanted the viewer to see the sky through the eyes of the mesh
and the metal bar structure.

This
photograph taken by Vivian Maier reveals that the presence of an object can
also enhance space. It depicts a long puddle whose surface reflects the lit up
signs of adjacent shops on the sidewalk. The reflection created by the puddle adds
another dimension that makes it seem as if there is a world of life beneath the
ground. This is due to the second factor of an absence of color that allows the
reflection to expand the subject of the image. But to what extent does the
unintentional space created by an object enhance the subject itself?

The
reflection of the signs on the surface of the puddle clarifies what the main
focus of the picture is. Without the puddle, the subject is unclear because
there is a broad range of objects to choose from, with all the lights, stores,
cars, et cetera. With the puddle, the focus is evidently the puddle; however, the
reflection of the puddle consumes it, becoming the main focus of the
photograph. The reflected lights stand out against the dark pool of water, as
if they were being highlighted in some way, when the glow is apparently
natural. This reflection of lights puts the focus on the lights above, creating
some mystery and misunderstanding as the reflected lights cannot be seen above.
It results in the back and forth inspection of the lights and their reflection
in order to determine which ones form the true subject of the image.

The
combination of space and light can result in shadows that expand on the subject
or main focus of a picture, as seen in this photograph by Vivian Maier. This
image shows a staircase on the side of a building with light shining through in
between its steps, resulting in a twin image in shadow. The light is sourced
from above and appears to come from the sun, creating shadows of the objects
below them. The light finds the smallest, thinnest of spaces in order to create
a shadow that to some degree mimics this nothingness.

To what accuracy, though, do the shadows capture the
essence of the space and nothingness between the objects in the picture?

The shadows created from space seemingly elongate the
original spaces, giving a greater depth and size to the objects that they have
alone. The shadows are like extensions of the objects themselves; however, they
seem to be more the subject than their physical partners. In this photograph,
Maier seems to be focused on the shadows, but includes the objects in order for
the viewer to have a reference to the original spaces. Just as in the prior
picture in which objects can create space, space has the ability to form
objects in shadows with the help of light. The fact that something visible can
be created by light through space goes beyond the scientific physics of the
world’s operations and supports the idea photography needs space as much as it
needs objects and subjects.

Maier, Vivian. “Canada.”
Street 4. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.

<http://www.vivianmaier.com/gallery/street-4/#slide-19>.

This
picture of Vivian Maier’s that shows a car sitting in between two tall, thin
trees on the edge of a body of water is a classic representation of space. The
blank nature of the background due to the light color of the sky clearly
defines, or at least narrows down, what the subject(s) of the image is. It
appears to be either the car or the trees on either side of it, but for some
reason, the main focus could possibly be the nothingness in the direct center
of the photograph. There is something about the space in between the two trees
and how it is shaped by their posture that hints that it is more significant
than the trees themselves. Furthermore, the hood of the car also impacts the
space and creates a specific shape.

Is
it possible for nothingness to be the subject of a picture when there are
other, physical objects within it? What does it take for a space to be the
superior subject in an image? Since the nothingness in this photograph is so
large and consumes the majority of the picture, it is quite evident why it is
the subject in this particular image. However, the fact that it is also in the
middle of the photograph contributes to its significance as the main point or
focus.